Dear God: On Compassion and Gratefulness to God

Excerpted from Compassion Blogger, Fontenot Four in response to the ‘Dear God’ Blog Month assignment.

Dear God:

Over the past 14 hours, I have witnessed my daughter’s life slipping away before my eyes and I have witnessed the power of your saving grace that returned breath back into her limp body. People tell me how strong they think I am and I think to myself – they weren’t there.

They didn’t see the fear, tears, and crying out, nor did they feel the flood of emotions that came as I realized that my child could be gone in an instant with me standing there helpless to do anything before she finally came around and stabilized before the emergency responders could bring her to the emergency room at our local children’s hospital.

This has been an overwhelmingly difficult day as I process the emotions of what did happen and what could have happened. Lord, you alone know my deepest thoughts and fears about everything.

I knew you were there. I knew your healing power as I cried out to you and Peyton finally was able to take that blessed breath.

I sit here in this room in the children’s hospital in tears, just processing. I think to myself how truly blessed we are to have what we have at our disposal.

I picked up the phone and dialed three simple numbers. 9 – 1 – 1.

I was alone and I needed my husband home immediately and you placed the thought in my mind to post my need on Facebook, not caring who saw, but that someone would see and reach out to him so he could get home quickly and safely.

You made that happen. Within a moment, my needs were answered.

Within moments, I had not one but seven first responders standing in Peyton’s room ready to do whatever needed to be done to help her, though you saw to it that she was stable before they arrived.

We left home and wound up in an emergency room specifically designated for children – not just a “one size fits all” department.

You provided caregivers for her who were able to immediately assess her and take care of her until she was transferred to her own room where you saw to it that she would be provided with even more caregivers who would take care of all her needs as long as she is here…

I sit here thinking about the situation you have called us to be in with Peyton right now. I think to myself, if she were born in one of the countries Compassion is involved in, there’s a pretty high probability first of all that she wouldn’t have made it to be six years old.

I ponder the fact that if the events of last night happened elsewhere, there would be no emergency responders showing up – forget seven of them. Proximity to emergency care might make all the difference – if there’s even emergency care to be had anywhere remotely close.

But forget all of that because it’s probably highly likely that basic medical needs could not even be met, much less those required by a medically fragile child such as Peyton.

I think of how blessed and grateful I am, Lord, that you have placed us in such a time and place as we are in right now so that we would have as good a chance as possible as fulfilling our earthly duties as Peyton’s parents the best possible way we can – by utilizing the resources that have been placed in our path by you.

You have given each and every one of us unique skill sets – abilities that can be used to glorify you – whether it is here or afar. So many children need you in their lives so that they can see this. So that they can bring hope to their families and to the generations to come…

Read the entire post at The Fontenot Four blog.